Flotation reagent



Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED, STATES FLOTATION REAGENT Herman B. Siems,Chicago, IlL, assignor to Swift & Company Fertilizer Works, Chicago,111., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application December 18,1936, Se-

rial No. 116,667

6 Claims. (01. 209-166) I This invention relates to phosphate recoveryprocesses. 7

In the recovery of phosphate values from washer tailings, it iscustomary to treat the debris with selectively oiling reagents. It isaccepted practice in the Florida field to employ froth flotation methodsby which the phosphate values are floated and collected in a phosphatebearing froth.

10 It is also accepted practice to selectively'oil phosphate particlesto form agglomerates' which may be collected by various methods such astabling, stratifying, or underwater screening.

The present invention is directed to specific reagents for selectivelyoiling the phosphatic constituents of phosphate bearing material.Spaciflcally, the essential novel material employed in the practice ofthe present invention is the tetramethylammonium soap of a fatty acid.It

is 'well known that tetramethylammoniumhydroxide will reactwith anyfatty acid to form the tetramethylammonium soap of the fatty acid.

.In carrying out the present invention in the recovery of phosphate rockby the various agglomeration methods such as tabling, stratification,and underwater screening, I add to a ton of feed the following reagentsin the quantities indicated:

Pounds Tetramethylammoniumhydroxide 1.03 Fish fatty acid 1.70 Fuel oil2.50

I have found that the foregoing formula is particularly efiective informing substantially silica free phosphate agglomerates.

If it is desired to practice flotation on the feed, I add in addition tothe reagents above recited .10 pound of resin residue as a frothing 40agent. I have found that the combination of fuel oil, thetetramethylammonium soap of a fatty acid, and resin residue is aneffective combination for concentrating phosphate rock byflotation.

45 It will be understood, of course, that although varied, dependingupon the purity of the materials used.

The reagents are preferably added to the phosphate bearing material in amixer to which the phosphate bearing material is added in the form of awet slush. After the reagents are thoroughly admixed with the feed, theconcentration may be effected in conventional flotation cells, onconventional tables by stratiflcation, or by underwater screening.

I claim:

1. The method of concentrating phosphate rock which comprises treatingphosphate hearing material with tetramethylammoniumhydroxide, a fattyacid, and fuel oil, and thereafter concentrating the phosphaticconstituents of the material. 7

2. The method of concentrating phosphate rock which comprises treatingphosphate bearing material with the tetramethylammonium soap of a fattyacid and fuel 'oil and thereafter concentrating the phosphaticconstituents of the material. I

3. The method of concentrating phosphate rock which comprises treatingphosphate bearing material with tetram'thylammoniumhy droxide, flshfatty acid, and fuel oil, and thereafter concentrating the phosphaticconstituents of the material.

4. The. method of concentrating phosphate rock by flotation whichcomprises treating phosphate bearing material withtetramethylammoniumhydroxide, a fatty acid, fuel oil, and resin residue,and thereafter collecting the phosphate concentrates in a phosphatebearing froth.

5. The method of concentrating phosphate rock by flotation whichcomprises treating phosphate bearing material with thetetramethylammonium soap of a fatty acid, fuel oil, and resin residue,and thereafter collecting the phosphate concentrates in a phosphatebearing froth.

6. The. method of concentrating phosphate rock by flotation whichcomprises treating phosphate bearing material withtetramethylammoniumhydroxide, fish fatty acid, fuel oil, and resinresidue, and thereafter collecting the phosphate concentrates in aphosphate bearing froth.

HERMAN B. smMs.

